FI4Fl0PGX14tiLVN8g1HFXcDgOg The Pitbull Palace: January 2012

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Going RawR: Raw Dog Food Diet Insights

When trying something for the first time, mistakes are often a normal part of your learning curve. But what if your mistake can jeopardize your dog’s life?

That’s the predicament I faced when I decided to put my Pitbull Motley on a raw food diet. I knew this type of diet was the best diet for my pitbull, but I was pretty nervous about changing it for fear of food contamination. 

In this respect, Maggie Rhines’ “Going Rawr! Dog Lover's Compendium” was a real knowledgable resource. Her book really went into detail when it came to the purpose of food and health safety. From learning how to buy fresh to food handling, from preparation and serving to how much to prepare, from what to prepare to how to transition adult dogs, and how to wean pups… the list goes on! It's an incredible resource and I, as a dog owner world have loved this information earlier.


If you’re planning to put your dog on the Raw Dog Food Diet, I recommend that you don’t start without reading this book first. It will help you save money, save time and more importantly, it will give you the confidence to start your babies on this diet.

If you'd like to get more information on Maggie Rhines' Book please feel free to 


Why Choose a Pitbull?? (part 2)

What do you really think goes into the mind of a person who is interested in a pitbull as a family pet? I can honestly say that I wasn't even interested in a pitbull when I began looking for a dog companion which shows after research that I found a pitbull would have made a much better pet then other dogs/breeds.

As an active male that enjoys going out and doing things with his pet, my first choice of dog, which was a bulldog, would have been a really bad dog for me. It wouldn't have been able to go on hikes, camping, swimming at the beach or lakes, or daily runs through the neighborhood because bulldogs are just not that active or athletic. It was a big deal for me to have a dog that could handle the elements and keep up without getting to worn out.

I think the biggest thing that goes into someone getting a pitbull is the characteristics they possess. Pitbulls are some of the most intelligent dogs being trained to do anything from therapy, rehab, search and rescue, etc. Looking into a pet, you want to know they will be trainable and listen to commands and with a pitbull's eagerness to please its owner, they catch on real quick. They yearn for that approval and satisfaction from there owners.

Another characteristic is the strength and athleticism of pitbulls. Like I said in a previous paragraph, I wanted a dog that could keep up on all the outdoor adventures we would encounter. With Motley, I am able to do all the things I enjoy without having to worry.

The biggest factor in myself choosing a pitbull was getting a chance to be around them. All the bad press and bad publicity could never sway my opinions on pitbulls anymore. They are caring, gentle, athletic, confident, and very smart animals. Pitbulls are also some of the friendliest dogs around, always seeking the attention of there human counterparts, even strangers. I know if you got the opportunity to play with a pitbull, it would fill you up with joy inside.

I guess what makes a person choose a pitbull can be categorized in a bunch of different ways, but its all in what your looking for in a pet. As you can see I'm enjoying the experience with my pitty Motley, and wouldn't trade him for anything. I hope I was able to spread a little bit of light on how great pitbulls can really be.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Human Aggression Vs. Animal Aggression

A big misconception people have with pitbulls can be defined because they do not know the difference between human aggression and animal aggression. There are other forms of aggression such as gender, territory, and fear but human and animal aggression are distinct. In this post, Motley and I will try and show the pros and cons pitbulls possess in each category. Do you know the difference?

Human Aggression:

If you are raising a pitbull pup or trying to train a pitbull, you should see no human aggression. As said in a previous post, the pitbull breeds were bred to be working dogs, which in turn means they obeyed their masters command. Personally, Motley is not shy to go up to anyone! It just depends because some people are not so receptive of him.

I can classify Motley as the biggest lap dog I know. He probably doesn't like me saying that because he thinks he's big and bad but if you spent some time with him, he'd be the biggest baby you'd ever meet. He doesn't leave my side when I'm home and honestly, that's what I was looking for in a dog. A REAL companion!


 He's been on road trips, camping, and all over with me experiencing life. He's been around kids, elders, large groups of people and always stays calm. I know you might say, well Motleys is a good dog, but pitbulls are very intelligent and can adapt to different environments. 

If there is a case of a pitbull with human aggression, normally its because of a medical condition or there is something really wrong with the dog. Every situation is different but like it's been said before, it really depends on what the owner teaches the dog. Pitbulls in general, really seek the attention and reaction of their owners.IT'S A TRAIT THAT HAS BEEN BRED INTO THEM SINCE THE BEGINNING!!! haha People don't always know that.


Animal Aggression:

Animal aggression is a whole lot different with pitbulls compared to a pitbulls human aggression. Pitbulls were bred to protect livestock and herd livestock so they are bred to go after certain animals.

As a personal experience, Motley can stand two feet away from a duck and not have a care in the world, but if he sees a rabbit he's gone. I've had to get numerous rabie shots because the rabbit couldn't quite out run Motley. Ha I can't help but laugh at how excited he gets when he sees a rabbit though. He does circles around the living room.

It is very normal for pitbulls to be animal/dog aggressive and it should never be looked at as a bad trait. Just as being human-friendly was bred into them, so was combating these other animals. 

I hope this was able to give you a little bit more clarification of the difference between a pitbull's human aggression and animal aggression.Let me get any feedback yall might have pertaining with this subject. I know I was very vague but I tried to get the point across about how pitbulls act with humans and other animals. Please leave your comments about stuff I may have missed!!! 



Why Choose a Pitbull?? (part 1)

"Why choose a pitbull as your family pet instead of a dog such as a lab or golden retreiver?"

As a pitbull owner, this is a question I have been asked many times and before I answer, I always shoot the question back, "Why not?" What makes a pitbull any worse than any other kind of dog you can bring into your family? I guess you probably know the answers I got back.

-Pitbulls were bred to fight
-Dont Pitbulls turn on there owners
-Pitbulls have a bad reputation
-Pitbulls will attack at any time

When I receive these kinds of answers I can do nothing but give them a little chuckle. When it comes to pitbulls, there are facts and there are exaggerated stories. None of the answers they replied with can honestly be backed up with factual information. 

Pitbulls did not start out as fighting dogs. Pitbulls were used as working dogs to herd livestock/animals and as guard dogs.


This is a reason pitbulls, if trained correctly, have no human aggression what so ever. They live to please there owners. This is also a reason these dogs do have animal aggression. They were trained to guard and protect. If you don't know the difference between animal aggression and human aggression I will go over it in another post.

Now on to the pitbulls turning on there owners. Once again as I said before, the proper temperament of a pitbull should show no signs of human aggression. A well bred pit is an exceptional dog being loving, affectionate, loyal, very low maintenance, and awesome with kids. If that doesnt sound like a family dog, I have no idea what does.


I think most of the misconception of pitbulls come from the statistics about dog fighting and the medias perception of pits. If you look at most statistics, most of the so called pitbull bites weren't from full bred pitbulls. This is why I dont think you can really campare any dog to a pitbull.  Explain to me why a lab or golden retreiver are any safer??? It all depends on the owner!!! If a dog isn't brought up correctly it will act unexpectedly. I dont think you can blame it on the pitbull because its only doing as it was taught.

This is just the start to this conversation but leave your comments so we can expand the conversation. I'd like to know everyones insight on the topic. Please stay tuned for Part 2 and so on!!!





Monday, January 23, 2012

Welcome to "The Pitbull Palace"

Welcome Everybody to The Pitbull Palace!!! Before we get started, I wanted to introduce myself, Matt and the main focus of this blog, and the reason it was started, my pitbull Motley. We will be the two behind the keyboard so to speak, giving you all the pitbull updates and news!! We also can't wait to meet all our new potential pitbull friends, owners, and enthusiasts. Please feel free to leave comments and start conversations in the comment section because Motley and I make sure to read all of them!! We plan to also have a forum running in the near future so that will be another way to voice your opinions on The Pitbull Palace!!

The main reason Motley and I decided to start The Pitbull Palace is to honestly spread the word about the good traits pitbulls possess and to shed a good light on pitbulls in general. Pitbulls are some of the greatest companions you will ever be able to find, but with that being said, pitbulls are not for everybody. If you are able to put in the time, and train, exercise, and do all the things a pitbull needs, I would totally suggest visiting shelters and looking for a pitbull companion. I can speak from experience, I don't know what I'd do without my pitbull Motley.

Motley and I really hope that all the information we are able to provide about pitbulls is very useful and beneficial to future pitbull owners or current owners. If you have any questions about a certain topic you want addressed, please once again, feel free to drop a comment below so we can get the answers everyone needs.

I want to thank everybody for stopping by The Pitbull Palace and we hope to hear and see you back on a regular basis!!! If you'd like any more infomation about The Pitbull Palace and/or Matt and Motley, please visit:

About "The Pitbull Palace"